April 30, 2013

I’d
been waiting for this package for a few days. It’s one of those where you’re
just so excited about it… (well, aren't all packages that way?)

On
the package was a strip of tape saying "A Very Special Delivery".

It
struck me as really neat how they did that, because how true was it!? (very
true)

No,
this wasn't an item I got for free, I had to pay for it, and it wasn't cheap.
(ended up being just over $100). I used up almost all my design money.

I
was originally planning to get light room 4, but with camping coming up soon, I
realized I really really, really needed an actual padded camera bag.

I knew I wanted one that was cute, and Jo totes had always struck me as awesome. I had entered a whole bunch of giveaways for them before, but never, ever won any.

So I figured I'd have to shell out the cash, with no coupon code.

Originally I was going to get the Betsy bag so that it could fit more in it, but I'm small, so I knew it was going to look big on me, and the price tag was a bit more than I wanted to spend, and I wanted a bag in mint.

So I got the Allison bag in mint. (and see how big it looks on me? It's way smaller than the Betsy!)

I couldn't be happier with my decision. this bag rocks.

Do you have a Jo totes bag? Or are you planning on getting one? Which one? What do you think of my choice?

April 28, 2013

It better be, because I'm tired of April. Too unpredictable. We've had rain and cold for most of it, and it's driving me insane.

But the past few days (and the next few days) are supposed to be warm. Thankful!

As for me? Well, this whole week was pretty much spent with my viola in my hand at all times.

(being with tech week for a high school musical [6:30-10 (and usually later) mon-wed. thurs-sun are performance days, so long days then, too.], plus two auditions, an orchestra practice, a lesson, and then practice - all this week)

Paintbrush (I put a small bristled one in the first picture, but I ended up using the foam brush (shown in both second pictures)

Gloss medium and varnish

1) Start by putting the masking tape on evenly in a triangle sort of way.

2) Paint your desired color. I know I have the strokes going along the direction the tape went, but I ended up changing that later on and making it go straight across. (also, something I should have done is to put a piece of paper inside the cover on each side. Then I wouldn't have gotten paint on the pages.)

3) Wait for that to dry, and add another coat.

4) After it's dry, apply a coat of varnish in the same direction. Wait for this to dry.

5) Take the tape off, and put some new tape at those edges (for mine I put it a little above, but I wouldn't recommend this unless you like that line)

6) Pant your second color just as you did in steps 2 and 3. Apply varnish if you wish. (I didn't. I liked the muted gold and shiny blue.)

7) Remove the tape after everything is dry. Mine was very bent, so I closed it and laid it under some heavy books for it to go back to its normal shape.

Make a few more, and put them where you'll use them! (I put this one in my camera bag)